Family & Friends Of Chris Lighty Launch Petition For Formal Investigation In To His Death

Family and friends of Chris Lighty are calling for a formal investigation in to the music mogul's death, which was ruled a suicide, and they have launched a petition to help make it happen.

Chris Lighty, founder of Violator Records & Management, passed away last August from what was reported to be a suicide. The Violator label has been responsible for the developpment of many artists' careers, from Busta Rhymes to 50 Cent, and thus his passing definitely let a hole in the industry, and many artists were baffled by the business man's suicide.

One such artist was 50 Cent, who was previously reported to have hired his own investigative team to look in to the matter. Attorney Scott Leemon, who was a personal friend of Lighty, also launched his own investigation back in September, however, the mystery of Chris Lighty's death remains unsolved. Now, Leemon is asking for a proper investigation of Lighty's death, and asking the public to sign a petition for it.

Leemon has realized through out the year that many questions in regards to Lighty's suicide have remained unanswered. "The main problem that we encountered was that the NYPD did not do a thorough investigation into Chris’ death," Leemon said in a statement to XXL. "In fact, what they did do was cursory, at best."

The cause of 44-year-old Chris Lighty's death was officially ruled to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Leemon is calling for a formal investigation into Lighty's death based on two technical failings. As XXL reports, Leemon first alleges that the Medical Examiner's office is in possession of a sample to initiate a test for gun residue on Lighty's hands and clothes, however they have failed to do the test. Secondly, Leemon claims that no DNA tests were ever done on the gun that was found at the scene of Lighty's death, to confirm it was a suicide.

Leemon and Lighty's mother are asking the Bronx County District Attorney’s office to open a formal investigation based on his findings. They have also started an online petition for supporters to sign.

"Today, I am begging, Mr. Johnson, the Bronx District Attorney, to make my son’s death a priority and work with our investigator to really look into the facts and circumstances leading up to his untimely death," Lighty's mother, Julia Brooks said. "We have uncovered real information that needs to be followed up on by those in authority."